Williams wins, returns to women's final

Eph's senior Mai Mitsuyama in action in Williams 2-1 win over Centre

Centre got out to a very early lead as Destinie Graves ran on to a long through ball from Elizabeth Mason and scored on a brilliant shot from a difficult angle into the far side netting, her 27th goal of the season. 

Williams did not panic and gradually began to take control of the match. As the half wore on they spent increasingly more time in possession in the Colonels half of the pitch. Centre's defenders kept the Williams attack at bay for the most part but it took a couple of great saves by Olivia Alford to keep the Ephs off the board.

With Centre's limited possession, Williams was able to continually get numbers forward. Their attack was highlighted by quick passing in the compressed Centre defense leading to short through balls which did not quite connect.

Williams substituted liberally bringing eleven players off the bench compared with only four by Centre. The Ephs had nearly all of the play for the remainder of the first half, although Centre got a bit of play back during the last ten minutes or so as the Williams subs tried to get the feel of the game.  At the half the offensive statistics reflected the Ephs control of play as they outshot the Colonels seven to two with four on goal. Graves' shot was the only one on goal for Centre in the opening forty-five.

Centre opened the second half better than they finished the first, having a bit more of the ball during the first fifteen minutes or so after the break. The Ephs still had the run of play but not as markedly as most of the first half.  With the play more equal, there were no real threats by either side until the 57th minute when Mia Mitsuyama nearly pulled the match level as her free kick from the right just outside the box hit the crossbar. Audrey Thomas also had a dangerous chance in the ensuing scrum but was not able to get full contact on the ball and her shot went softly into Alford's hands.

Williams made a "hockey line" substitution bringing in four in the 63rd minute. The cumulative effect of having to continually defend and the Eph's fresher legs began to take their toll. Natasha Albanese equalized the match at the 69:59 mark with a gorgeous, bending shot from twenty yards out that bounced off the right post into the net. Alford had no chance. With all the pressure Williams had generated since early in the match frankly, this goal seemed inevitable and definitely well earned.

Just five minutes later Williams found the winner as a Centre defender committed a clear penalty inside the box. Albanese got her second goal of the match off the resulting penalty kick which she drove sharply along the ground just inside the left post. 

Over the next several minutes, the Colonels gamely attempted to pull the match back level. They pressed forward and very nearly equalized with six minutes remaining as Williams's keeper Tressa Palcheck left a shot slip through her hands and she had to reach back to bat the ball back into play just before it crossed the line. After that Williams, now 20-1-2, was able to run time out and earn the right to play the last match of the season for the second consecutive year.

Centre finishes their most successful season in the program history at 21-2-1.